Turkey distributes Eid meat in 149 countries

By Mustafa Unal Uysal

MERSIN, Turkey (AA) - Turkey delivered meat from animals sacrificed for Eid al-Adha to needy people across 149 countries, Turkey’s top cleric said on Friday.

“This doesn’t just mean delivering a piece of meat to the people’s table but it means conveying the love of Turkey and introducing the Turkish flag in 149 countries,” Ali Erbas, head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate, said.

Speaking at a gathering with NGOs and businessmen in Mersin, on the Mediterranean coast, Erbas said the Religious Affairs Directorate reached out over 20,000 underprivileged students in Turkey and abroad.

“Being a great state and nation happens to be like this. The more qualified charity works are carried out in our provinces, the more we win as a society and a country,” Erbas said.

This year, millions of Muslims around the world celebrated Eid-al-Alha between Aug. 11-14.

Eid-al-Adha commemorates the readiness of Prophet Ibrahim -- also known as Abraham to Christians and Jews -- to sacrifice his son on God’s command.

Muslims on this day sacrifice animals to remember Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice, and the meat from those animals distributed to poor in the community.